Pablo Zabaleta has claimed that he turned down an offer from Juventus to join Manchester City, who took their projected summer spending to almost £44 million with the £6.45 million signing of the Argentina right back from Espanyol last night.

He is expected to form a new-look right flank for City alongside Shaun Wright-Phillips, the £8.5 million arrival from Chelsea. “The offer was impossible to reject and not only because of the money,” the defender said. “The Premier League is a paradise.”

His arrival should allow Vedran Corluka to complete a move to Tottenham Hotspur. The Croatia right back had a medical at Tottenham three weeks ago, but City withdrew from a proposed £8 million deal.

Dead certs

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Stoke have signed Ibrahima Sonko from Reading for £2 million rising to £2.25 million. The defender, who has signed a three-year contract, fell out of favour at Reading at the end of last season.

Stoke have made an approach for Kanga Akalé, 27, the Lens and Ivory Coast midfield player, who was on loan at Marseilles last season.

Blackburn Rovers have agreed a deal to sign Mark Bunn, the Northampton Town goalkeeper, after Bolton Wanderers rejected a £1 million offer for Ali Al Habsi. Bolton are to sign Ebi Smolarek, the Racing Santander striker, on a 12-month loan with a view to a permanent move. Ricardo Vaz Té will join the Spanish club as part of the deal.

Dickson Etuhu has joined Fulham on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee, thought to be about £2 million. The Nigeria midfield player, 26, made 21 appearances for Sunderland after joining last year.

Decent bets

West Bromwich Albion have had an £800,000 offer accepted by NEC Nijmegen for Jonas Olsson, the Sweden Under-21 defender, who has a reputation for playing tough.

Kamil Zayatte has been training with Newcastle United and Kevin Keegan, the manager, must now decide whether to submit a firm offer to Young Boys for the Guinea international. Zayatte, 23, has also been monitored by Everton and Fulham. Thimothée Atouba, the former Tottenham defender, was left out of SV Hamburg’s squad last night amid speculation about a move to Newcastle.

Charlton Athletic have approached Sunderland about Paul McShane, the defender, and are willing to sell Zheng Zhi to West Brom.

Long shots

Newcastle are interested in Florent Malouda, but the France winger wants to stay at Chelsea. Péguy Luyindula, the Paris Saint-Germain striker, has been linked with Aston Villa.